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The average RPG is set in a fantasy world inhabited by orcs, elves, dwarves, humans or variations of the above, a world that’s completely different from our own in an age that’s long past or still hidden by the veil of the future. Exciting as it may sound, though, this can become a bit repetitive at times. So, let’s take a look at some games that break away from the high fantasy or science fiction tradition, putting their story in a world not unlike our own.
CasinoRPG
CasinoRPG is a game that keeps the basic mechanic of role-playing - perhaps massively multiplayer role-playing - games while going in a completely unusual direction when it comes to the game’s setting.
Basically, the game puts the players into the middle of a town filled with casinos. Here, they have to go from janitor to casino magnate by winning chips, completing various quests, and showing their worth in a number of ways. The goal is to build a casino empire - there are quite a few steps to be taken until that point, though. At times, the game is like Sims, at others, it’s like playing games at the JackpotCity online casino. Actually, the gambling part of the game almost feels like a bona fide online casino - except, of course, the games themselves that are nowhere near the quality the JackpotCity has to offer. Surprisingly, CasinoRPG is completely free, with no pay-to-win nonsense added to the mix. You can download it free of charge on Steam and dig in - you can play without even registering an account. Its visuals are decent, even if a bit dated, and its random number generators really seem to do the trick.
The Secret World
The Secret World is one of the few role-playing games with no alien and science fiction elements. Instead, it’s a lot like the real world with elements of pop culture, alternate history, urban legends, and ancient mythology mixed into it. Behind the veil of the normal world, there is a conflict waiting to be resolved. Dark forces threaten the world, and it’s up to the heroes of the game to stand up to them. The fight goes on in areas walled by occult fog, inhabited by zombies and other dark monsters in a Lovecraftian vein.
The game was cooked up by the Norwegian game developer Ragnar Tørnquist, famous for his work on The Longest Journey. Unlike other games in the genre, this one doesn’t have classes or levels, offering players total freedom of play.
Alpha Protocol
James Bond, ahem, Michael Thorton is a secret agent who has to solve some major crises. To this end, he has to travel around the world, unravelling conspiracies, and, of course, surviving any threat.
Obsidian Entertainment’s Alpha Protocol doesn’t really go beyond its modern-day setting - well, not further than your average James Bond movie. It’s an action-RPG with all the classic features, including classes, both pre-built and completely customizable. What makes the game special is the branching dialogue and the fact that the choices the player makes heavily influence the direction of the story, so much so that different choices can result in completely different playthroughs.
